Giants DL Sam Roberts Recovering From Offseason Surgery; Latest On Leki Fotu
Sam Roberts is one of several veteran defensive linemen who joined the Giants this offseason. He has yet to participate in practice for his newest team, but that should change shortly.
Roberts – who was limited to just five games in 2025 – underwent offseason surgery, Dan Duggan of The Athletic writes. The fifth-year veteran missed OTAs and minicamp this spring as a result. New head coach John Harbaugh expects Roberts to be healthy in time for training camp this summer, though.
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New York traded away Dexter Lawrence this offseason, ending his Pro Bowl tenure with the team. How the Giants fare along the defensive interior in 2026 and beyond will be a significant storyline this year as a result. Fellow veterans D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris are in the fold, and an uptick in playing time for 2025 third-rounder Darius Alexander would come as no surprise. Roberts (who took a one-year deal featuring no guaranteed money) is among the contenders for a depth role.
Another is Leki Fotu. Per Duggan, the former Cardinal, Jet, Raider and Texan took starting reps this spring while Harris was absent from OTAs. That suggests Fotu – who has 66 appearances and 26 starts to his name – will enter training camp relatively high on the depth chart with respect to experienced D-linemen. Fotu also inked a one-year deal this spring, and his pact contains only $25K in guarantees.
As a result, neither he nor Roberts are assured of a roster spot. Training camp and the preseason will be critical at a number of spots with a new coaching staff in place, but the defensive interior in particular will be worth watching closely. Roberts will look to avoid any further injury issues through the summer, while Fotu’s spot in the pecking order will be interesting to monitor.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/23/26
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: TE Blake Whiteheart
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: LB Arron Mosby
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: DT Larrell Murchison
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Sam Roberts
The Browns brought back tight end Blake Whiteheart today. The Wake Forest product has spent the past two seasons in Cleveland, where he’s split his time between the offense and special teams. Relied on primarily for his blocking ability, Whiteheart has had limited looks in the receiving game, hauling in eight catches for 55 yards and one touchdown. He’s part of a TEs room in Cleveland that also features Harold Fannin and Jack Stoll, with David Njoku still unsigned.
The Rams are bringing back Larrell Murchison for another season. After not getting into a game during the 2024 campaign, the defensive lineman showed flashes in 2025. He ultimately got into 16 games with the Rams, compiling a pair of sacks despite being limited to only 126 defensive snaps.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/5/26
Here are today’s RFA and ERFA tender calls:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Cardinals: RB Emari Demercado
- Falcons: DL Sam Roberts
- Jets: WR John Metchie
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Buccaneers: LS Evan Deckers
- Cowboys: CB Josh Butler
- Jets: DT Jowon Briggs, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- Raiders: S Tristin McCollum, C Will Putnam, DE Charles Snowden
- Titans: G Garrett Dellinger, DL C.J. Ravenell
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/26/25
Here are Friday’s minor moves and some standard gameday practice squad elevations for Saturday:
Atlanta Falcons
- Designated for return from IR: DT Sam Roberts
Denver Broncos
- Signed off Chargers’ practice squad: C Sam Mustipher
- Waived: G Calvin Throckmorton
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: LB Kristian Welch
Houston Texans
- Signed from practice squad: S K’Von Wallace
- Elevated: DT Leki Fotu, G Sidy Sow
- Waived: CB Ameer Speed
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: T Foster Sarell, S Marcus Williams
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: TE Moliki Matavao
- Placed on IR: TE Foster Moreau
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: CB Kemon Hall
A day after placing starting center Luke Wattenberg on injured reserve and commending backup Alex Forsyth for starting in his place, Denver adds a bit more depth and experience at the position. Forsyth, a seventh-round pick out of Oregon last year, has only five starts in his first two years of play, but the team seemed to think he filled in well during yesterday’s victory of over the Chiefs. Mustipher, once a full-time starter in Chicago, should add depth and a potential starting option in case Forsyth’s inexperience starts to show.
Williams is being elevated for the third and final time by the Chargers this season. If Los Angeles wants to see him play in another game this season, they’ll need to sign the veteran safety to the 53-man roster.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/14/25
Today minor transactions as we head into the 11th weekend of the regular season:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed from practice squad: DT Kentavius Street
- Placed on IR: DT Sam Roberts
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: DT Pat O’Connor
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed from practice squad: RB Owen Wright
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: WR Bryce Oliver
The Buccaneers will see undrafted rookie running back Josh Williams miss the next six weeks after he was suspended without pay for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy, so Wright makes his way up to the active roster to reinforce Tampa Bay’s depth at the position.
Oliver has been out since suffering a knee injury in the Titans’ second game of the season. He was able to start practicing again by Week 6 but was still consistently ruled out for each game. He finally earned a “questionable” injury status in the final game before Tennessee’s bye week after three-straight limited-participation practices, and he held that status throughout limited practices this week. Ultimately, he was ruled out for the weekend, and his placement on injured reserve indicates that a setback may have occurred as he’s now guaranteed to miss at least four more games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/5/25
Here are Friday’s minor transactions as we await Game 2 of the 2025 season, including today’s standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Chiefs and Chargers:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: DT Sam Roberts
- Released: WR David Sills
- Released (with injury settlement): CB Grayland Arnold
Chicago Bears
- Waived (with injury settlement): C Doug Kramer
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived (with injury settlement): TE Tanner McLachlan
Green Bay Packers
- Waived (with injury settlement): S Omar Brown
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived (with injury settlement): K Maddux Trujillo
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: DT Marlon Tuipulotu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/retired list: WR Amari Cooper (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LS Rick Lovato, T Foster Sarell
Each NFL team is granted two standard gameday practice squad elevations each game, allowing them to call up two members of their practice squad that are able to play in that weekend’s game. After the game is played, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad with no transaction required. This differs from a transaction like we saw earlier today wherein wide receiver Justin Shorter was signed to the Raiders’ active roster from their practice squad. He is now permanently on the team’s 53-man roster until they cut him or until his contract expires.
Practice squad players can be called up a maximum of three times under a single practice squad contract. If the team wants to call up a player who’s been called up three times already, team’s will usually sign the player to their active roster for a game, cut them after, and then sign them to a new practice squad contract. Under a new contract, the player would be eligible to be elevated for three more games.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints moves are noted below.
Atlanta Falcons
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Chris Blair, CB Cobee Bryant, WR Dylan Drummond, OL Joshua Gray, S Ronnie Harrison, CB C.J. Henderson, OLB Khalid Kareem, K Lenny Krieg, WR Nick Nash, T Brandon Parker, TE Joshua Simon, QB Easton Stick, DL Kentavius Street, T Carter Warren, RB Carlos Washington
Carolina Panthers
Claimed:
- CB Damarri Mathis (from Broncos), WR Dalevon Campbell (from Chargers)
Waived:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Krys Barnes, CB Shemar Bartholomew, OLB Boogie Basham, DE Jared Harrison-Hunte, OL Jarrett Kingston, LB Maz Mwansa, TE Bryce Pierre, WR Ja’seem Reed, CB Mike Reid, DT Sam Roberts, WR/PR Ainias Smith, T Mike Tarquin, S Trevian Thomas, OL Brandon Walton
New Orleans Saints
Claimed:
- WR Trey Palmer (from Buccaneers), G Xavier Truss (from Broncos)
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Kevin Austin, DL Jonah Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Signed to practice squad:
- DL Adam Gotsis
Panthers Release WR Hunter Renfrow, Finalize Roster Cuts
With time to spare in advance of today’s deadline, the Panthers have finalized their roster moves to get to 53. Here are Carolina’s Tuesday transactions:
Released:
- LB Krys Barnes
- OLB Boogie Basham
- WR Hunter Renfrow
- LB Jon Rhattigan
- DT Shy Tuttle (story)
Waived:
- CB Shemar Bartholomew
- DE Jared Harrison-Hunte
- OL Jarrett Kingston
- LB Maz Mwansa
- TE Bryce Pierre
- WR Ja’seem Reed
- CB Michael Reid
- DT Sam Roberts
- OL Michael Tarquin
- S Trevian Thomas
- OL Brandon Walton
Waived-injured:
Waived via injury settlement:
Placed on IR-designated for return:
- DE LaBryan Ray
Renfrow’s efforts to return to the NFL have been dealt a blow with today’s move. The Clemson product and South Carolina native took a one-year pact in his bid to continue his career after missing all of last season. Renfrow’s pact contained $50K guaranteed, however, and with the Panthers’ other wideouts impressing in camp this release loomed as a possibility. A practice squad deal could be in store in the coming days in this case, but absent an agreement on that front the 29-year-old will seek out a new opportunity.
Carolina was among the teams which announced a list of cuts yesterday in advance of today’s deadline. Among the players waived was quarterback Bryce Perkins. He will be a candidate to sign on the practice squad starting tomorrow (provided no waiver claims are made), but The Athletic’s Joe Person reports Perkins is not in the team’s plans at this point. Roberts, on the other hand, is seen as a taxi squad candidate in the event he clears (h/t Aaron Wilson of KPRC2).
Ray’s IR handling means he will miss at least the first four games of the season. Whereas players moved to IR before today are out for the season, though, Ray is among those eligible to return later in the year. Activating him will count toward Carolina’s allocation of eight for the season whenever he is back in the fold.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/24
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Jonathon Brooks
- Waived: DL DeShawn Williams
- Signed to active roster from practice squad: DT Sam Roberts
New York Giants
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Tre Hawkins
- Signed to active roster from practice squad: CB Greg Stroman
Tennessee Titans
- Waived with injury designation: OT Leroy Watson
The Panthers officially placed Brooks on injured reserve after he re-tore his right ACL on Sunday against the Eagles. The second-round pick spent most of his rookie season on the Physically Unable to Perform list after his initial ACL tear last November. He only managed 12 touches for 45 yards in his first three NFL appearances before re-injuring his knee, which will require another lengthy rehab process and puts his availability for the start of the 2025 season in doubt.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Andre Chachere
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Sam Roberts
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Trysten Hill
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: WR Jalen Guyton
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB A.J. Green
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: NT Brandon Pili